cover image Busy Woman Seeks Wife

Busy Woman Seeks Wife

Annie Sanders, . . Grand Central/5 Spot, $13.99 (303pp) ISBN 978-0-446-50544-4

Its title alone should win this frothy fantasy a following among harried gals juggling craven ambition and goddesslike domesticity. It can’t hurt that Sanders, the pseudonym for Brit writing partners Annie Ashworth and Meg Sanders, has been there and done that (Goodbye, Jimmy Choo ). Here, the duo take traditional gender roles and turn them upside down with busy sportswear marketer Alex and perennially out-of-work actor Frankie. Alex realizes she needs somebody to cook, clean, run errands and babysit her imperious mom, Bean, and through a series of mishaps she ends up with Frankie—a wacky twist that plays out with all the predictable pratfalls. But a tepid love story gets a shot of adrenaline from strong supporting characters, including diva Bean, who strikes just the right balance between fragile and fierce. Delightfully harebrained, there’s a method to everyone’s madness and an unwavering moral compass: follow your heart, trust your family and friends—and don’t be too quick to judge the hired help. (Apr.)